English
Part 1: Summary
Megan Gambino, in his article titled “How Technology Makes Us Better Social Beings” published at the Smithsonian.com magazine on 11th of July, 2011, weigh the pros and cons of social media technologies based on experts’ views, observations, and studies. On the negative side of the use of technology (e.g., television, Internet, phones), she cited the works of previous authors and reviewers (such as Putname, Flacks, etc) who revealed that Americans became “more disconnected from each other” as compared to half a century ago. Further, individuals became “passive consumers of virtual life” instead of actively involved in communal activities with neighborhoods, friends, and other people around them. People tend to be more family-centered rather than civic action-oriented as a result of social media. On the positive side of the issue, Gambino cited the works of sociologist Hampton, WSJ.com writer Rosman, urbanist Whyte, and curator Palladino to support the claim that technology has actually strengthened personal, familial, and/or social relationships. Social networking media (such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.) have actually built closer human relationships concerning involvement in political and social activities. Many social networking users update their status and comments on posts. They are, one way or another, positively addicted interacting with other online users. Her final remark was an analysis from another expert, curator Susan Palladino, that technologically adaptive societies (specifically, cities) have greater chances of having better future.
Furthermore, to support the claim that technology builds closer relationships, Gambino referred her readers to Rosman’s profiling of a family who have “integrate[d] social media into their everyday lives,” but are “very closely-knit [despite] very traditional in many ways.” They are actively socializing online as they interact with various types of individuals, people, partners, and so on. Although the family’s online behaviors and interactions seem extreme at today’s current standard, it might actually be the norm soon. Gambino also cited other authoritative works in her article, such as concerning the individuals’ social life living in wireless urban spaces and the successes and failures of cities. She borrowed an expert’s view that online users are not isolated in the virtual sense of the word, but are actually actively sharing, discussing, and engaging with other folks through social media websites (e.g., webinars, instant messaging, email, and so on) whether at the comfort of their homes or public wireless spaces. Consequently, Gambino inferred that societies (e.g., ‘cyber cities’) are “going to be [the] healthy cit[-ies] into the future” because they learned to embrace technology which “right now is changing fastest of all” (Palladino in Gambino).
Part 2: My Response to Gambino’s Article
One issue I would like to discuss concerns social networking technology (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, etc.) and cities that adapt to urbanization. Gambino claims, “More than half of world’s population is living in cities now [as of 2011] and that figure is expected to rise to 70 percent by 2050.” In other words, as people increase in number and/or migrate from rural to semi-urban cities, there would possibly ‘overpopulation’ in metropolitan areas or the creation of more cyber-cities. I strongly agree with her because individuals become virtually interconnected to collaborate, share, integrate, etc. social media in their lives. There is no turning or going back, which is never farthest from the truth – so to imagine.
Technological advancements or breakthroughs offer virtually unimaginable possibilities. At the tip of one’s fingertip, I can visit a virtual museum, Exploratorium, etc. as if I am actually there. When more and more advanced gadgets become available and affordable to us, many cities, individuals, and organizations worldwide would adapt them. Daily life becomes more convenient and more worthwhile for more and more people because they can connect realistically virtually with loved ones, friends, business partners, and even ‘strangers.’ I believe that there would then better Internet safety, security, and protection.
Finally, I believe that cyber-cities then would even be as similar to the actual physical cities, only that I could change the cities’ panorama (e.g., setting, color, sound of nature, weather, and so on). I love to live in those cyber-cities while, at the same time, a native of my own physical city. Nice article, Gambino! A-must article for this course!
Work Cited
Gambino, Megan. How Technology Makes Us Better Social Beings. 11 July 2011. Web. 13 February 2014. <http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/how-technology-makes-us-better-social-beings-28986845/>.
